Best Concept Cars at Geneva - 2011 Geneva Auto Show

There's nothing neutral about these stunning stars of the 2011 Geneva Auto Show.

As the 2011 Geneva Auto Show has opened its doors to the media, it's also closing the door on the economic gloom that has hobbled the automotive industry. Concept cars and highly creative design are back in style, with everything from an electric Rolls-Royce to a pocket-sized Mini vying for our attention.

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Without the benefit of any home-field advantage—not to mention Geneva's long-standing ban on overly elaborate show stands—automakers have no choice but to make the cars the stars.

Sport sedans, convertibles and even a retro-themed microbus have kept us doing hot laps here at the Palexpo exhibition center. After much debate, here are our picks for the best concept cars at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show:

The BMW Vision ConnectedDrive Concept is meant to explore the possibilities of mobile networking and integrated technologies—with some really cool mood lighting thrown in for visual effect. This is the concept car for anyone addicted to Tron, a four-wheeled technical tour de force where apps are as important as rpm. An integrated head-up display can list information about the road ahead in 3-Dimensional format. You could feasibly bring up restaurant reviews, movie times, weather and road conditions, or see address numbers without taking your eyes off the road. A color display replaces the traditional analog readouts in the instrument cluster and is completely customizable—the front passenger can move information onto the driver's screen, when needed. The exterior is a mix of futuristic roadster, with a hint of BMW's old Z1 production car (the one with doors that dropped down). And, of course, snaking throughout the Vision ConnectedDrive Concept are fiber-optic cables that glow reddish-orange, blue, or green depending on their location.

The Audi A3 Concept offers a hint to the appearance of the next-generation A3 lineup. And as you may have guessed, the big news is that a notchback sedan will be joining the A3 ranks for the first time. Currently available in the U.S. only as 5-door sport wagon, the new A3 sedan should appeal to a wider swath of car buyers. The front fascia features LED headlights flanking Audi's signature single-frame grille, which, in this concept car, has a healthy serving of chrome. A pronounced character line runs from the headlights along the sides of the car, providing the 4-door with a sporty stance. The interior is full of all the leather and luxury you'd expect from Audi, one of the best in the business when it comes to crafting a classy cabin. With an overall length of 174.8 in., the Audi A3 sedan is approximately 6 in. longer than the current A3. While the A3 Concept shown in Geneva is powered by a 408-bhp 5-cylinder engine, expect U.S.-bound production models to come with a choice of two 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engines, one gasoline and one diesel.

The Nissan Esflow is a rear-wheel-drive electric sports car that, unfortunately, is still classified as only a concept. Thankfully, the hardware beneath the gorgeous lines of the Esflow is mostly off-the-shelf technology, and similar to the powertrain in the Nissan Leaf EV. The 2-seat Esflow has two electric motors in back, each driving a rear wheel. These motors are mounted in a mid-ship position, placed above the axis of the rear wheels. Powered by laminated lithium-ion batteries mounted low in the chassis (to lower the car's center of gravity and thereby improve the car's handling), the Esflow can reportedly accelerate to 62 mph in less than 5 seconds. The range is impressive too, pegged by Nissan at nearly 150 miles on a single charge. While the Leaf EV erred on the side of a conservative exterior, here's hoping Nissan's first electric sports car takes a page from the Esflow Concept. However, we'd like to see it have a better name.

Rolls-Royce has unveiled its first electric-powered car, the 102EX Concept. Based on the luxury-laden Phantom sedan, the donor car's massive 6.8-liter V-12 engine has given way to a lithium-ion battery pack and electric motors. Rolls Royce says 102EX will serve as a "rolling test bed" to determine whether the iconic British luxury brand makes a move into the world of electric vehicles. The powertrain in this eco-minded Rolls produces a massive 290 kW of power. It needs that oomph, considering it weighs approximately three tons. Despite its heft, Rolls-Royce says 102EX accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in under 8 seconds. Driving range is said to be around 125 miles. For the moment, there is no definite production plan for this Rolls EV. The company says the first plan of action is to take 102EX on a global tour, to gauge interest in the car and gain feedback about whether or not there is a market for luxurious (i.e. really expensive) electric vehicles.

An Alfa Romeo at heart, this Italian 2-seater appears to have some Lotus design DNA running in its veins. From some angles, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spyder Concept looks like a scaled down version of Alfa's recent 8C supercar—that's a good thing. From other angles, however, the car looks strikingly like the Lotus Evora sports car. Perhaps Alfa's design department had one too many team building exercises in the U.K.? Power comes from a 200-bhp 1.75-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine mated to a twin-clutch sequential-shift gearbox. The Alfa Romeo 4C Concept features lightweight carbon-fiber construction, which keeps weight down to only 1870 lb. The low mass will help the car to have sparkling performance and zippy handling, despite the small (but historically appropriate) 1750-cc engine. According to Alfa Romeo, the 4C Spyder Concept accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 5.0 sec. and has a top speed of 155 mph.

VW has brought a blast from the past to Geneva, another take on the brand's iconic microbus. We're far from certain this groovy VW van will ever reach production, but consider our fingers crossed. Unlike the rear-engine original, the front-drive Bulli Concept has its power source up front. Power is provided by a 1.0 or 1.4-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine, though the Bulli also accommodates a lithium-ion battery pack and 85-kW electric motor. According to VW, the electric-powered model hits 62 mph in 11.5 sec. and has a top speed of 87 mph. Driving range is reported to be 186 miles. The two-tone paint and boxy shape give the 5-seat VW a fresh and fun look, without being too blatantly retro. Purists will appreciate that this modern spin on the Microbus has a flat floor, like the original, with seats that also fold flat to aid cargo capacity. A surfboard, perhaps?

This 2wo-door crossover marks the next step in a new design direction for the French automaker. The Captur Concept adopts and refines Renault's new corporate face, first seen on the electric-powered DeZir Concept. The main source of design inspiration for the Captur came from "athletes and radical sports," according to Renault. The lightweight and highly functional design of sports equipment was used to give the Captur powerful lines without appearing too bulky. We love the LED turn signals that relay direction in a wave effect, with lights running the length of the vehicle. Matte-finish fenders, butterfly doors (with sills that drop down when the doors are opened), and monster 22-in. black and white rims make certain you'd never lose this Renault in a crowd. The hard convertible top is removable, revealing a carbon-fiber framework with "Renault" script running down the spine of the car. Power comes from a small and highly efficient diesel engine.

The Smart Forspeed Concept is a roofless and windowless roadster powered by a 30-kW electric motor installed in the rear of the tiny 2-seater. Smart says the Forspeed has a top speed of 75 mph, though its only quoted acceleration figure (0 to 37 mph in 5.5 seconds) doesn't bode well for the time it might take for the Forspeed to reach 60 mph. Maybe that's why Smart included a button in the center console to activate a boost function, for those moments when an extra 5 kW of electric power is needed. The Smart Forspeed is powered by a lithium-ion battery that delivers 16.5 kWh of electrical energy. The charging device is located in the third brake light, behind the Smart logo. A fully charged battery is sufficient for 84 miles of range, according to Smart, and charging from 0 to 80 percent takes just 45 minutes. A body made from fiberglass helps keep weight down, while a deliberate lack of seams, plus handle-free doors, minimizes wind resistance.

The Mini Rocketman Concept is a return to the roots of the Mini brand, so to speak. With a length of 135 in., the Rocketman is slightly longer than the original Mini and nearly a foot shorter than the current car. Styling cues, including the headlamps and grille opening, are taken from the modern Mini. Distinctive design touches include external door hinges, a transparent and lighted glass roof, contrasting wheel arches and, in an especially nice touch, trapezoidal stirrups on the rear flanks that house the LED tail-lamps. To maximize interior space, Mini has developed a 3+1 seating system in which the space for the front two passengers is optimized by allowing their seats to be positioned as far rearward as possible. A nifty bit of engineering, but four people would still be in agony for anything but a cross-town drive. Mini has not yet confirmed if the pint-sized Rocketman will reach production.

Infiniti says the Etherea is a no-compromise hybrid that offers driving fun while maximizing driver pleasure. That sounds like a promising start. The Etherea is smaller than it looks, only 4 inches longer than a Nissan Versa. A highly sculpted shape gives it a much longer and lower appearance—especially compared with the dowdy Versa. "The Etherea is completely different from current luxury compact cars," says Senior Vice President of Design Shiro Nakamura. "It is appropriate for a new generation of drivers who think of themselves as different." Part coupe, part luxury sedan, and part sport sedan (in the way it's said to drive), the front-drive Etherea Concept employs a hybrid drivetrain similar to that found in the Infiniti M35 Hybrid. A supercharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with 245 bhp is aided by an electric motor and a continuously variable transmission (CVT).